Deadly Attraction
by Smittl3z
Summary: Nellis! In this rough adaptation of the second game, Ellis and Nick find an unlikely fondness for one another. Blood, sex, tears, and more... Can the conman put aside his stonewall mask to love the mechanic, or will Ellis be taken from the team all too soon? Tune in weekly for updates on this interesting journey!


**NOTES: It is important to note that I do not claim to own any of the characters or settings involved in this story. All ownership of such characters, etc. belongs to the Valve company, and other organizations involved with the making of "Left 4 Dead 2". Please be understanding that this is the first writing endeavor I have taken on in quite some time, so I am very rusty. The story is semi-rushed and semi-gradual in the build up of the relationship between Nick and Ellis. Finally, I intend to make weekly updates of the story. No promises, but I will do my best! Thank you so much for anyone who has taken the time to read my story; even if you are just lurking. Adios, bitchachos! ;)**

**Chapter 1: **Window Shopping

Gunfire. The screeching of the undead. Heat. Blood. Chaos. So much chaos. And to top it all off, Nick had an unlikely team to get through the apocalyptic bullshit with. It was going to be one HELL of a ride.

Watching the helicopter fly off was infuriating. But surprisingly Nick had no need to have an outburst. He was too humored by the nature of everything. The group had been formed a week or so ago, when the infection hit. They quickly became accustomed to the abilities of one another. Coach, obvious by his name, was dubbed the leader of the group. His protective nature and experience in making play calls allowed him to lead the team to the current point in their journey. Being from Savannah sure didn't do any harm. Then there was Rochelle, the loving and supportive reporter with an uncanny ability to shoot dual pistols with the best of them. Her growing connection to Coach, as well as her supportive nature placed her at second in command. Nick was the outcast. The expensive suit, mixed scent of alcohol, cologne, cigarette smoke; and the seemingly permanent scowl on his face meant he was the realist of the team. And finally, the true chaos of the apocalypse and the reason for Nick's current frustration...Ellis. The young hick was the wild card of all wild cards. Between all the axe-swinging and story-telling, he genuinely was the child of the group. His can-do attitude is what overwhelmed the others as the one sign of safety took flight without them. They all shared their fair share of grumbles, but Coach was the most voicetress. "Thought they supposed to be saving our asses", he hollered. Nick couldn't hold back his cynicism. "Looks like there's been a change of plans".

…

After the team gathered the supplies from the rooftop, they began their venture through the dead-ridden hotel. "This is some shit", Nick gruffed. The rest of the group paid him no mind considering they were in their own thoughts about the failed rescue, but the youngest tried to be optimistic.

"Naw, Nick, it'll be alright", Ellis smiled. "We got this far jus' the four of us. 'M sure we can get through a bit more ta get to the next rescue spot". Nick didn't bother responding to the country boy but his face didn't do anything to hide his irritation. _Like I wanted to be part of some damn team anyway! Had to trek this far with these assholes. No cigarettes. No cards. No sex. Yeah...totally fucking alright. _They burst through to the first accessible level from the rooftop. Masses of the undead came hurtling towards them, but the past few weeks of survival made it relatively easy for the team to dispatch of the zombies.

"Don't forget to grab what you can find 'round here, ya'll", Coach's voice boomed.

Ellis responded all too quickly by snatching up a green bile off a nearby bedside table. "Ooh, looky here, I got me some goo!"

_Fucking kid_. "Better not get any of that shit on us, overalls,'' the conman said as he picked an axe off the bed. The four survivors made their way through another level of the hotel, careful not to fall off the ledge as they went from one room to another. Finally they arrived to an elevator. "It's amazing this shit is even working."

"Building in flames and dead people walking all over the place,'' Rochelle signed, "Is this thing even safe?"

"We don't have much of a choice, babygirl, we'll be alright." The older male leader walked into the elevator, followed eagerly by Ellis. Reluctantly the other two followed just as the doors closed.

…

When the doors opened, the team was encouraged to gather the weapons and health necessities right outside before running into the inflamed lower level of the hotel. "Yee hoo! It's smokier here than that time ma buddy Keith set off four giant fireworks in his ma's house. Ya know, the big dragon kind? Boy she-"

"Ellis, sweetie, this isn't the best time for stories." Rochelle's motherlike voice could barely be heard over the sounds of the building falling to pieces, but it was nicer than what Nicholas was going to say to the kid. They cut through a few rooms until they made it into the small courtyard. Unfortunately, the glimpse of the dreary sky wasn't reassuring, but the notorious red door to a safe house caused the group to sprint.

"Come on, come on now!" Coach's voice rang out as he slammed the door behind them.

…

Ammunition was refilled and health packs were gathered. The survivors were happy that even though the rescue failed, there still seemed to be secure safe houses set up around the area. Thinking about the helicopter earlier, Ellis spoke up. "That chopper looked like it was headin' over to the evac station at the mall."

Coach nodded his head as he sat on the ground. "Gotta agree. Let's follow them to the mall in the morning. But for now, we gotta rest up."

_Yes sir, old man. Rather be dreaming about busty blondes right now anyway. Damn, I need a cigarette. _Nick took his stained jacket off to use as a pillow as he settled in. _Thousand dollar suit, and I'm usin' it as a damn pillow. I swear if I get my hands on whoever started this apocalypse shit… _Rochelle a-little-less-than-elegantly laid on a carpeted part of the floor and quickly dozed off. Coach was propped up against the wall next to her and fell just as quickly into slumber. As Nick started daydreaming about playing a risky poker game, the childlike voice sounded.

"Ya know this whole thing got me thinkin'. Wonder what it'd be like to fly one a those whirly birds. Like...seeing birds and stuff from up high. Phew it must be a lotta fun over the ocean. I never been to the ocean. Ma mama always said we'd go jus' as soon as pa had the money and time. Never did. H-"

"Ellis…", Nick exasperated, one eye peeking open to glare at the hick. "I don't really give a damn about choppers, beaches, or your daddy issues right now. Okay? Just trying to get some sleep to get shit done tomorrow. You should too." If Ellis hadn't known any better, he would've thought that last part kind of sounded like the gambler cared. Regardless, Ellis got the message and with no more than a slight smirk and a nod, he leaned up against the nearest wall to get some sleep. Nick was grateful for the quiet, and finally...darkness carried him away.

…

The morning broke all too early, with Coach being the first to arise. "Time ta get up, ya'll." He yawned and gathered his pump shotgun and health pack. Rochelle was quick to follow by grabbing her supplies. As the two began to discuss a plan of action for the day, the youngest stumbled tiredly to one of the supply tables. He found ammunition for his machine gun. Snagging one of the remaining health kits from the table, he made his way to Nick.

"C'mon, Nick,'' he yawned again, "Time ta git."

Nick stirred angrily as he put his suit jacket on. "This is bullshit. Always having to sleep on floors at night, and get up unnecessarily early." Glancing at Coach he grumbled, "Who the Hell put you in charge anyway?"

"Now, Nicholas, don't start with ya shit again." The response from the eldest survivor only made the conman more irritable. It was going to be one Hell of a day. After everyone gathered as many supplies as they could carry, the safe door was opened, allowing overbearing sunlight to filter through the room. Ellis' stomach grumbled, causing the others to turn to him.

"Sorry 'bout that, ya'll,'' he grinned sheepishly. He just received a curt nod from Coach, and a snarl from Nick.

Rochelle smiled, "Nothing to be sorry for, sweetie. We're all a bit hungry. I'm sure we'll soon find something to eat in the mall. Even if it is just candy." The hick's eyes seemed to widen at the prospect of candy, causing Nick to feel a little amused. But he only allowed the beguilement to last for a second.

"We're all starving, Cletus. Let's get a move on." Without another word, even from Ellis, the team cautiously left the confines of the safe house. Coach led the way to what seemed to be a quarantine tent. In a mostly strategic and successful fashion, they cleared the way to a building off to the right. Making their way down the street, a faint sobbing could be heard.

"Now be careful, ya'll, there must be a witch in here." The others quietly nodded at the eldest, and ensured all lights were out before continuing into the building. Naturally, despite all efforts from teammates, Ellis managed to trip right over the weeping infected, causing a huge fuss.

"Gah, get 'er off me!" The youngest fought hard against the woman as he cried out in fear. Rochelle, Coach, and Nick fired at her in uniform fashion, but the fatal shot belonged to Nick. _Goddamn kid is going to get us killed…_ Despite his frustrations, Nick helped the youngest to his feet and shoved a bottle of pain pills in his hand. "Thanks, man. I really 'precciate it."

"Whatever, kid, just don't be so stupid next time." Ellis was clearly a little bothered by the words, but he barely let it show as he dryly swallowed a few pills and gripped his weapon. Fortunately, the sobbing creature hadn't done much damage to him. The team continued through the building until they got outside on a remote highway. There were a few more infected and specials, but it wasn't anything they couldn't handle. A dumpster to crawl over, another building to go through, and eventually the team was in a new safe house. But they didn't take the time to stay for the night. With plenty of day left, they stocked up on their health supplies and ammunition. Before they left, Ellis grabbed a gas can off the floor and started outside. Before anyone could say anything smart, he threw the can on the highway below and shot it. At least 20 zombies below burned up and died (again).

"Damn, overalls, that was really cool." The conman couldn't hide his being intrigued by the country boy's ingenuity and excitement. With the way below cleared, the survivors made a quick path along the highway. It wasn't long before they came to another building. A charger ran between them, narrowly missing Rochelle, but it was quickly dealt with. It was when they ascended the stairs that a real problem emerged. The ground shook, the metal gates jingled, and a loud ominous roar could be heard for miles. "Tank!"

"Shoot the sum'bitch", Ellis cheered as he unloaded his clip into the creature. Minutes of gunfire felt like hours as the Tank threw pieces of concrete past the team, and almost smashed Coach before finally falling to the ground.

"Phew. That was close", Rochelle gasped as she took a second to lean against the gate.

"Ya don't say?" Nick's sarcasm initiated a stern look from Coach, but Ellis seemed to snicker a little. Before long, they gathered themselves enough to move on.

"A gun shop! Guns!" Ellis' gleeful demeanor was only enhanced by his child-like skip into the weapon shop. _He's actually kind of...cute… _Coach generously handed out health packs he found, as the other members looked around the shop. Coach decide to keep his shotgun, while Ellis traded his gun for an M-16. Rochelle kept her machine gun, but gathered more ammunition as Nick mused over his earlier thoughts. _Cute… _His concentration was broken when he noticed the younger man struggling with what appeared to be laser sights. He was attempting to attach one to his new weapon, to no avail. "Damn thing", he grumbled under his breath.

"Let me help." Nick's sudden need to offer assistance had everyone raising their eyebrows. But the conman could care less as he properly fastened the sight to the gun, and handed it back to Ellis. "There ya go, kid."

"T-thank ya, Nick." Again, a sheepish grin made its way across the country boy's face as he took the gun, and scratched the back of his head. _Yeah, cute. He really is...cute. What the Hell am I thinking?_ A sudden voice sounding throughout the store brought him back to the present.

"Hello there. Now, normally when four bloodstained looters break into my store, I would shoot 'em where they stand. But you have caught me at an opportune time. Take what weapons you need and come on upstairs. I reckon we can come to an accordance. I'm guessing you four'd be heading to the mall for rescue. And I further guess you won't get there, as the road is blocked. I know because I watched CEDA block it. So here's what I propose. I've barricaded myself on the roof with provisions and guns enough to kill every zombie in the city five times over, and eat well while I'm doing it. But in my haste, I forgot to pack Cola. Cola and nuts is a weakness of mine- though I do not love it so much that I'd be a fool enough to die in the attempt to procure it. So here is my proposition; If you go find me some cola at yonder food store, I'll clear that CEDA blockade for you."

Ellis was the first to speak up. He pressed the button next to the intercom. "Sir, in exchange for the use of yer weapons, I'll get you some cola."

"I love snacks as much as the next girl", Rochelle chimed in, "But it seems like a lot to fight a hoard of zombies for some soda." Coach nodded in agreement.

"Oh, just what I need to make my day better...risk getting ourselves killed for some redneck's diabetes…" Ellis burst into laughter, causing the corner of Nick's lip to quirk for a second. The trek to the little grocery store across the street didn't take long.

"Damn thing seems like it'll go off if we open the doors", Coach groaned as he scratched under his chin. "One o' you youngins' is better have grabbing the Cola case. More agile than us old fellas."

"Speak for yourself, dinosaur." _Fucker acts like I'm a grandpa or something. I still got it… _Nick tried not to notice how the thought of his youthful hope and sex drive led him to glance at the youngest member of the group. Ellis didn't seem to notice as he led the way through the shop. Sure enough, an outstanding alarm sounded for miles as the team ran through several isles. "There!" Ellis followed Nick's outstretched hand and quickly grabbed the case of cola before running back through the isles. The remaining survivors were quick to follow him, but Nick made sure to flank his right as he held his new gun firmly. His rapid fire took out any infected that got within two feet of the country boy.

"That's some damn good shootin', Nick,'' Ellis cheered. Nick's face started to burn a bit, but he didn't take the time to respond to the youngest. They were back up the stairs and in front of the dispensary door before they knew it. Whitaker's voice could be heard over the speaker telling the survivors to dispense the soda. Ellis was quick to drop the case down the slot. Suddenly a missile left the building and blew up the truck that was blocking their path. "Phewy! Did ya see that?! Man, I need me one o' those."

Nick only chuckled and shook his head. "Boy, you won't be getting your hand one of those if it's over my dead body", the leader of the team said sternly as they made their way to the mall.

The closer they got to the building, Rochelle could make out a familiar red door. "Safe house, gentleman!" She increased her stride, followed closely by Ellis who was still rearing from the missile launch earlier. Making their way into the safe room, Nick slammed the door behind them.

…

Quickly refilling their weapons, the group caught their collective breath. "Alright, ya'll. Let's get a move on. Gotta be an evac center in here somewhere", Coach's voice echoed in the room. Nick held in his cynicism as they opened the door to the rest of the large shopping center. Ellis ran out to the expanse of the mall, bashing heads here and there with the butt of his M16, hollering like a kid. Hurrying after him was an irritated Nick. _Fuckin' kid never seems to be phased by the fact that we're in a GODDAMN apocolpyse… _Taking advantage of the country boy's carelessness, a smoker wrapped it's slimy tongue around his torso and quickly began pulling him up to the second level of the mall.

"Ah, shit, smoker's got me!" Ellis panicked as he dropped his weapon to the ground. The wet muscle was tightening aggressively as the smoker's coughs became louder and louder.

"Damnit, goin' for the kid", Nick hollered to his other teammates. Running up the escalator, the conman aimed his weapon at the special infected, pulling the trigger successfully resulted in a poof of foul smoke. Ellis was just close enough to the ledge as the tongue loosened, so he grabbed the bar in a panic.

"Ah shit, ah shit! Someone help me up!" The gambler hurried around the bend to the side the southerner was hanging from. _Damnit, little shit, hold on._ Nick caught Ellis' arm just before his muscles failed him. Pulling him over to the floor, they both gasped for air.

"Are you boys okay", Rochelle's concerned voice could be heard as her and the eldest hurried to their side. Nick let out an irritated laugh, while Ellis nodded happily.

"No worries, Ro", the southerner smiled. "Nick saved ma ass." He turned to the conman eager to thank him, but was quickly shut down.

"If you handn't been a fucking idiot in the first place, I wouldn't 've had to save your sorry hide." His boston accent was thick with frustration, but Coach and Rochelle noted a hint of concern as well. _Why am I saving him?! Weeks ago I woulda just let his ass get strangled._ His face started to warm a bit. _It's not that. Can't be that._ Before his teammates could see any ounce of redness in his face, Nick stood up and grabbed his weapon.

"Ya dropped this, youngin'." Coach handed the M16 to the fellow southerner who took it thankfully. "Alright, let's be a bit more cautious as we walk through here. Coulda sworn I heard some more special infected on our way up." As if on cue, a jockey came stumbling around the corner, but was quickly killed by the succession of fire from the team. They made their way under a busted gate to another part of the mall. Just as Rochelle cleared the busted gate, an aggressive roar sounded.

"Tank!" Nick was the first to see the massive infected charging up the escalator. Numerous common infected were smashed and thrown aside as the creature rampaged towards the team.

"Shoot the sum' bitch!" The youngest ran to the escalator in a frenzy, emptying his cartridge into the beast. The others joined in the assault. A huge chunk of floor whipped past Nick, but the creature turned its attention to the survivor closest to it. _Shit._

"Ellis, run!" Nick panicked as the hunk of meat hauled towards the southerner. Fortunately, the beast fell to the ground just before it could do any damage. Ellis, backed into a corner, struggled to breathe as he fixed the cap on his head.

"Damn, that was close'', the boy gasped.

"Are you tryin' to get yourself killed?" Nick hurried over to the hick, barely hiding the concern in his voice. Avoiding Ellis' apologetic facial expression and nervous laugh, the conman started to wonder. _It kind of seems like those special infected are targeting the fucker… Nah, can't be. He was the closest to the Tank at the time. Might have to keep an eye on him. _The older man shook the thoughts out of his head just in time for Rochelle and Coach to reunite with them. Miraculously they had enough ammo to make it through a bit more of the mall before finding a brightly lit door.

The reporter was the first to speak up. "Hey boys, there's probably something important in there. Might need your help getting through." Without hesitation, Coach kicked the busted door down. Quickly making there way from room to room, the group realized the woman wasn't wrong. They found ammunition, melee weapons, pain pills, and even two extra health packs.

"Damn good find, babygirl." Coach's praise was mirrored by a joyful smile from Ellis and a thankful shrug from Nick. Making their way through a dimly lit hallway, the survivors came across an opening to a store. Undead were wandering aimlessly outside of it, but walking through the store seemed to be the only way to advance through the mall.

"I hate ta be the bearer o' bad news, but I'm thinkin' we'll have to shoot through those windows to get through all them dead. And ya know what that means, right?"

Nick nodded in confirmation with the youngest. "Alarms." Begrudgingly, the group readied themselves for an onslaught of undead.

"There's probably something to disable the alarm in a control room somewhere", Rochelle said as she raised her gun.

"Then that's where we'll head", Coach chimed in, "The map downstairs said something about it being two floors up. Can't be hard to find. Been in this mall 'bout once or twice." With the plan well understood, each member raised their weapons and began firing. Just as they had suspected, outstandingly loud alarm bells could be heard throughout the store. All nearby infected came rushing to consume whatever made the sound. Blood, guts, and other bodily fluids coated the place as infected were slaughtered left to right. "Let's go!" In a surprisingly effective formation, the survivors made their way up the first motionless escalator.

"Damn good thing these aren't moving, or else we wouldn't be getting very far,'' Nick grunted.

"Be funnier 'an Hell to see zombies tryin' to get to us though! Poor bastards wouldn't know what to do if this thing was goin' down." The ridiculous remark from Elllis actually earned a slight chuckle from the suited man. Quickly taken out of their moment of relief, the team refocused on killing all infected in their way. A charger hauled towards Coach, but with some help from Rochelle, the special infected was incapacitated quickly. A jockey fumbled towards Ellis, but accidentally fell through an open part of the glass barrier of the walkway, causing it to plummet to its death. Just as the alarm sound was becoming unbearable, they saw the sign to the control room.

"Up ahead, ya'll!" Coach led the team to the room and Rochelle quickly shut off the alarm system.

"Hell yeah, that's what I'm talkin' about!" Ellis closed the door and smiled at his teammates. Nick could feel the slight pink returning to his face again. _That smile. Damnit, Nicholas, get ahold of yourself_. Quick to turn away, the older man ambled into a nearby closet to find more items of use. A disgruntled moan from Coach caused everyone to look over to his line of sight. The leader pointed at the various camera feeds.

"Seems there's no evac here. CEDA musta packed up the few people they could and took off."

"Tried to tell you they were long gone when we found the empty tents outside." The conman's pessimism didn't help anyone's mood.

Ellis brought the room back to a more hopeful vibe. "Them whirlybirds-"

"Helicopters."

"- copters… them copter's were everywhere. One took ma buddy Keith away, like I told yews. No doubt in ma mind that there 're more of 'em 'round here. More evac stations too!" Everyone seemed to become more at ease when they saw the southerner's goofy grin plaster his face.

"Kid's right." For once Nick seemed to agree with the mechanic. "Those bastards have to be set up in more than one place. No use sittin' around here." In unison, the group gathered the supplies they needed, performed first aid procedures on their mild wounds, and carried on down a set of stairs. The stairway led them to another open part of the mall where a hunter was ready to pounce. It landed on Ellis, but a well-placed bullet from Nick's gun killed it instantly.

"Phewee, that was a damn good shot there, Nick!" That redness in his face again. But the blush quickly faded when the conman realized that this was yet another infected that had gone directly for Ellis despite the fact that the others were closer to it. _They're really gunnin' for the boy. Must be something special about him. Well yeah- no, Nick, now's not the time to be thinkin' like that. Don't know why you keep fucking heating up over the hick, but it must be something logical. I mean obviously those THINGS don't think he's cute. Wait- CUTE?! Oh man, I don't know what the Hell's getting into me… _"Ya good, Nick?" The boy's repeated words pulled the conman out of his thoughts and returned the slight redness to his face.

"Yeah, overalls, just pay more attention, will ya?" He slung his gun over his shoulder and made his way past the youngest. Ellis nodded and followed Nick closely. The team continued through the mall until they found an elevator. The fingerprint-ridden glass allowed for the closest things to a birds-eye view of the rest of the mall. A glint of something large and shiny caught Ellis' attention.

"Look ya'll", he hollered gleefully, "It's Jimmy Gibbs stock car! Told yew it'd be 'round here somewhere." He slapped his knee excitedly. "Aw ma, wish I coulda met Jimmy before the whole damn world ended."

"Hell of a racer", Coach chimed in, with a smile.

"Fuck whoever that Hillbilly racer is, as long as the cereal box car works, we're getting out of here", Nick stated.

"All we gotta do is fill 'er up, and then I'm driving the beauty right outta here!" No one seemed to be overly fond of the idea of Ellis driving their rescue vehicle, but they didn't have the energy or heart to disagree. Eyeing up the various gas cans scattered throughout the mall, the team started up the elevator and checked their ammo. The conveniently placed cans made the team a bit uneasy at the thought that someone else attempted what they were about to do and obviously failed, but they knew it was their best plan.

"Alright, ya'll, as soon as the doors open, we go get some gas." Coach's booming voice acted as a momentary boost of reassurance just as the doors to the elevator slid open. Rochelle ran to the left to find a can in the immediate corner, while Nick ran straight ahead to find one around the corner of a fountain. Ellis and Coach weren't as lucky, so they ran up the nearest set of stairs to the second floor. "Got four cans o'er here, boy! Grab two", Coach yelled out. Right as Ellis began to run towards a Coach, a hoard of zombies came through all open doors around them.

_Damnit._ "Ro, Coach and El are in trouble", Nick called. The two hurried up the stairs, slaying undead left and right. Unfortunately, none of the teammates had melee weapons due to limited carrying capacity, so they had to be careful not to shoot any gas cans in the process of the onslaught.

"Damn sons o' bitches", Ellis struggled, "Where the Hell they all come from?!" As if on cue, the steady stream of zombies began to die down. Clearing a path to Ellis and Coach had taken some time, but the four were together again just as the final creature fell.

"Come on, we gotta fill up that car", Rochelle's words could be heard just above the sound of a nearby spitter. She turned to shoot the hooker before any acid could be sent their way. The four piled down the stairs to the car. The reporter began pouring the contents of the cans into the tank, while the other members produced cover fire. After the sixth can, she realized there wasn't quite enough to get the vehicle going. "Guys, we need more gas."

"Of-fucking-course", the conamn grumbled. "There were a few more cans upstairs. I'll go for 'em."

"I'll go with ya", Ellis said as he snagged some ammo off the nearby kiosk. With a quick nod from the suited man, the two made their way up the stairs. An outstanding roar shook the mall. "Awwe shit, Tank!"

_Damn this place. Damn it straight to Hell._ Nick spotted the mutilated hunk of meat on the floor across from them, ready to drop. "Get the cans, kid, we gotta go." Grabbing two cans, the boys ran through the hall back to the stairs when a huge chunk of floor shot past them. Crying out, the Tank jumped down right next to the car. Coach and Rochelle noticed the giant just before it fell, so they had enough time to run from the vehicle. The creature stormed after them, beating against its chest.

"We gotta get to 'em, Nick!" Ellis' cries only pushed them on further.

"They can take care of themselves, Overalls", Nick argued, "We need to finish filling up the car." Coach's shotgun and Rochelle's gun did a good amount of damage on the Tank, but it was still alive and even angrier. Despite Nick's words, Ellis knew only one of them could fill the car up at a time, so he focused his attention on shooting the large creature. The special infected turned its head to the new assault and charged.

"Awwe shit, Nick, hurry up."

"If you'd just listen to me, I wouldn't have to!" Nick shook the last can into the vehicle's fuel tank. "C'mon!" Screwing the cap on, the gambler picked up his weapon and aimed at the beast. "Get your ass in gear, Cletus!" Ellis jumped into the driver's seat while Nick climbed in the passenger. With a slam of the gas they barely escaped the Tank's reach. Swerving to pick up Rochelle and Coach, Ellis called out.

"Come on guys!"

"Don't have to tell me twice", Rochelle hopped in the back seat, Coach following suit.

"Hit it, boy!" Coach slammed the door.

"Yeehaw!" The car burst through the first floor wall of glass. The tank and a few straggling undead ran after the vehicle, but gave up, frustrated after a few feet. The team let out a collective sigh of relief. They appreciated the silence for the next mile until Nick surprisingly broke it with a compliment.

"That was some damn good drivin', Ace." Ellis smiled, and Nick could've sworn he saw a tinge of red on the kid's face. _He gets embarrassed pretty easily, but that smile…_

The mechanic cleared his throat. "Uh, thanks, man. Did feel pretty cool. Wish ma buddy Keith woulda seen it. Reminds me o' the time-"

"I'm sure he would've been impressed, sweetie", Rochelle quieted Ellis to the relief of the other two men. "Maybe we should focus on keeping an eye out for the next evac station."

"Yes, ma'am." Ellis turned all of his attention to the road, the proud smile not leaving his face. _That smile… What's so important about this Keith guy? Why's he need his approval?_ Nick sighed. _Better stop being so ridiculous, Nicky boy, this apocalypse is getting to you. Almost sounds like you're jealous of a stupid hick._ The conman turned off his meddling thoughts and chose to focus his attention to the open road, but not before it could repeat in his head..._That smile… _It was going to be one Hell of a ride.


End file.
